Better then meat
by xX-Avast-Xx
Summary: During a night watch, An innocent Zolu fluff story occurs. one shot. Edited!


Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE! One Piece © Eichiro Oda

(if I did, Luffy and Zoro would have snogged by now)

Ok, this is my first fanfic… I'm not quite sure what to do…. But whatever, Here's the story!

so, yah, this is revamped (not alot) i changed the format so it would be easier to read, and edited some more. the focus of this is the lime flavor hence th fact that the actual _"story" _is not excactly tiptop. It felt long when i typed it (4 pages!) but seeing as i can read it in about oh, 5 minutes, i guess it's not. but whatever. have fun mon ami!

"talking" _"thinking"_

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

They were due to reach the next island at around 2 the nextmorning. This was a fact not over looked by Nami, who was quick to shell out night shifts. (keeping herself and a certain archiologist free, of course)

"Usopp!"

"What is it now, Nami?"

Usopp (who currently painting some masterpiece or another) was not exactly happy to be called upon. Not that Nami particularly cared.

"You have first watch!", she smiled. "Ten till midnight!" she patted him on the back,

"And every minuet I find you sleeping" she said through gritted teeth, "is 500 berries."

Usopp gulped visibly, and then nodded.

"r-right Nami!"

Onward!

"Zoro you have-"

grumble, SNORE

Zoro was sleeping. Again. They had _tried_ to wake him up for this meeting, but apparently it was to no avail. So be it.

"Sanji!"

"Why yes my little dove?" Sanji, called as he was all hearts and rainbows for Nami.

"Wake Zoro"

Oh.

Sanji looked hurt for a moment then gave a curt nod.

"But of course! Anything for my Nami-swan!" He turned quickly on his heel, to the face the sleeping Zoro.

"Oi, marimo, get up"

Sanji grunted, giving him a quick kick in the ribs.

Cough, cough, sputter.

"What the hell was that for, Shitty-love cook!"

Oh dear.

"_You_ fell asleep on my Nami-swan"

"Pri-"

Nami gave them both a good whack on the head, then continued to divide up the night.

"Ok, Zoro you have second watch, 12-2"

She then whispered in his ear,

"and for you, 1000 berries for every minute you sleep"

"WHAT! I don't even have 50 as part of my pocket money!"

"Don't fall asleep then."

Grumble grumble.

"Fine, whatever"

"Luffy!"

"Yeah!"

Luffy, our one and only, came bounding over from the mast head.

"You have third watch, ok, 2-4."

"oh" Luffy replied, now hanging upside down from the crow's nest.

"ok!"

He came down.

Alright then! All settled.

Now, as it is, The winds on the grand line are very unpredictable, and do whatever they see fit. Well, I guess they saw fit to completely stop during Usopp's watch. The Merry was lucky if she made one nautical mile an hour, so Nami had to talk to Zoro before his watch, just in case.

"Zoro!"

"…...what?"

A sleepy Zoro is a grumpy Zoro, and not one you really want to talk to.But mostdefinitely not one to piss off. Nami was not really afraid of him though, so she continued.

"If the winds don't pick up during your watch, tell Sanji he has the watch after Luffy!"

"…sa…Ok"

(Translation: Sanji, after Luffy, ok)

Zoro spoke slowly, his words slurring like he was drunk as he made his way up to the crows nest.

Nami left Zoro, shaking her head, and praying to what ever god would listen that he wouldn't let them crash into the island.

Zoro sat in the crow's nest, trying with all his will power to stay awake. His thoughts drifted though, and soon he was in a half-dream state, thinking about every thing. Kuina, His crew mates, but above all, Luffy.

Zoro's thoughts on Luffy were too complicated to describe. Crew mates? Yes. Nakama? But of course. But some how Zoro found himself thinking of Luffy as something more, as if their "relationship' could go beyond just captain to swordsman. This was not a happy feeling actually, No "bubbles", No "joyful, fluttery feeling" Just the pounding of his heart, threatening to come out of his chest as he lay awake at night. For every time they had faced someone seemingly unbeatable, Zoro made it through, (although this was largely due to his promise to Kuina) he had relied on Luffy. He _could_ rely on Luffy. No matter what the situation, the rather short pirate captian was always there, knowing from pure instict, it seemed, how to act. Every since Luffy had rescued his swords from those bastard mrines, there had been some sort of unbreakable connection between them. Something completly unspoken, yet there, none the less.

It wasn't until he heard the pitter-patter of feet on wood that he snapped out of his daze.

Shit.

Nami.

Quick check for island. Island? No island. Wind? No wind, thank you very much.

And ,

_Luffy _pulled himself up into the crow's nest.

"Hey N-"

Zoro paused

"Luffy? what are you doing here? Your watch doesn't start for another hour and a half!"

Hewas puzzled.

"_Stupid heart! Slow down!"_

"Hey Zoro"

Luffy was shifting from foot to foot.

"Can I sit down?"

Zoro was a little out of it at first.

"Oh …yeah."

Luffy settled himself down next to Zoro, his head resting on his knees. (a/n Luffy's head on Luffy's knees) They sat in silence for a while, just two friends, sitting side by side, until Zoro found his voice.

"Luffy?"

"Yah?"

"Luffy, I think I lo-"

"Me too Zoro"

And that was it. Nothing poetic, no deep, moving speeches, just a mutual acknowledgment. Yet it was enough. Zoro was happy. No, he was, euphoric, that's the word, beyond all reasonable point of happiness. _This _is what love was supposed to feel like. He slowly put his arm around Luffy and pulled him close. Being as gentle as possible, he took Luffy's face in his calloused hands. He studied what lay beyond those chocolate orbs. Was this the right thing to do? He had never loved someone before. Luffy just sat their, eyes wide. Then he took Zoro's hands in his own, taking them away from his face.

The space between them was getting smaller.

With one last, quick deep breath, Zoro closed the gap. Now it didn't matter that they were both guys, they were just two people in love. In the moment Zoro's lips caught Luffy's, something happened. Something like electricity worked its way down his spine. The younger boy's mouth was so very, very, soft and Zoro was being unnaturally gentle, as if he feared Luffy would shatter.

This was natural. _This _was what Zoro had longed for those long nights in his hammock. He wound his arms around the younger boy, pulling him closer. The kiss left Luffy's mouth and worked its way along his neck, to the soft spot of flesh behind his ear lobe. Luffy smiled against Zoro's neck, and sighed.

Luffy pulled away, just long enough to stare in to Zoro's slightly hurt and confused eyes. He smiled like only Luffy can smile then gave himself to Zoro once more. His hands around Zoro's neck kept him close. Their lips met again and this time the kiss was even more passionate, if that was possible. Zoro was practically drinking in Luffy; he was savoring every part of him. How he smelled (like the ocean) to what his mouth tasted like (a mikan, he had raided Nami's trees recently, he supposed) He was happy. And Luffy was happy too, in his opinion this was better then any meat he had ever tasted.

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Authors rants

Wow…. That was long. I've never done this before! It's fun. Luffy and Zoro snogging pics for those who review!

xX-Avast-Xx

Now redone, what do you think? yah i know they just leap into snogging, but i don't excactly have the greatest imagination like certain people (one of whom reviewed) coughchibimonotreestardigitaldreamercough sorry, i seem to have developed the coughs. bother.


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